My Team for Sarries

[againstthehead]

A lot of folk clearly disappointed after last night's performance and rightly so, although to be honest I didn't even watch the game as I thought we'd struggle without Ruan against a side who'd been thumped badly last week. You see, a wounded animal is a dangerous animal. If you poke em, they tend to react and rip your head off.

Forget AAT and ATC, now we have a squad of angry men:

Front row.
- Picks itself with no Black. Rory will make all the difference at set-piece. Not ideal in that he hasn't had a run-out with the lads but he is pretty much a world-class operator and will slot back in fine.
- scrum-time has me concerned as we've been gash all season and depending on the approach of the ref this could decide the game. The crowd will need to play their part as many calls these days can go either way.
- I expect ATC to deliver a big performance in one of his last home games. Afoa has had a few games under his belt to get up to speed and should step-up too.

Lock
- One of the toughest calls is who joins Muller in the engine room. Fully-fit, I'd go with Dan but this is a game for full-throttle blood and guts and we don't need any passengers that's arn't close to 100%. I'd edge towards henderson but not much in it.
- overall, our lineout has been decent this season but Sarries will have done their homework no doubt. A tight exchange anticipated.

Backrow
- so crucial to get the balance right in the modern game and with a few options available to us, it's a tough call. The form backrow is probably Henry, Wilson and Diack. Is diack too lightweight for this game or does he give a bit more mobility and a better lineout option? I'd probably resort back to the HEC backrow of Wilson, Williams and Henry but of course Wilson, Ferris and Henry is a 3rd option but surely Ferris is not quite ready for this?

Backline
-No point laboring as the backline picks itself if Ruan is fit. If he's not, we may as well stay at home.

Bench
- some tough calls for the bench too. Can't see a 6/2 split for a game of this magnitude so Mccloskey or Allen as the extra back.
- Diack V Ferris is a big call. For sheer impact and fact the crowd will go nuts I'll go for Ferris. Tough on Robbie D though as he would drop from my matchday 23.

Teamsheet:
Court
Best
Afoa
Muller
Henderson
Henry
Wilson
Williams
Ruan
GP
Luke
Caveman
AAT
Bowe
Jared

Lutton
Herring
Warwick
DanT
1F
Marshall
McCloskey
Gilroy

Gameplan
It's all about small margins. Expect a tight gameplan with Ruan orchestrating from 9. Lots of perfectly placed box-kicks coming down from the Ulsterman in the sky. In trimble and bowe we have 2 of the best competing wingers in the world and they will murder the Sarries wingers in the air. That followed up with the likes of Best, Henry, Williams and Henderson nailing folk and generating penalties for Ruan to slot over. We'll play some rugby in their half but only after we've gained that territory and had a bash or two at the lineout maul to keep them honest.

I envisage an Ulster performance of such intensity that has never been seen before at Ravenhill. The execution may not be quite perfect but we'll be smashing anything and everything that dares to move. In Henry, Best and Muller we have that much-needed leadership to steady the ship and get us over the line whilst we have the defensive organisation and hopefully discipline to keep them off the scoresheet.

Sarries are an immensely powerful side who love to carry the ball and bash you over the gainline. We need a pack that is going to front-up from the 1st minute to dominate those collisions and win the battle of the breakdown. To win this game, will probably take the greatest forward-display ever seen from an Ulster side at Ravenhill.

Will we win the game I hear you ask? Ulster by 5 if Ruan is fit.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Leinster.....

[namron]

Leinster.....

wicked

[Setanta]

Unfortunately I think Tuohy will carry the can. Otherwise I would be picking him and Henderson to start with Muller on the bench.

[againstthehead]

Leinster.....

wicked

lol, took me a while to pick up on that. Very good.

[Cornerfleg]

Won't matter a feck if Ruan isn't playing!!!

It's as sad and simple as that!

[Rovi Snave]

Won't matter a feck if Ruan isn't playing!!!

It's as sad and simple as that!

+1 - and only if he has a good day at the office

[rorybestsbigbaldnoggin]

Court-Best-Afoa
Muller-Henderson
Diack-Wilson-Henry
Pienaar
Jackson
Marshall-Cave
Trimble-Payne-Bowe

If that team starts, and that team turns up, we will win.

Will that team (or something very close to it) start? Yes.
Will they turn up? Yes.

Ergo . . .

[BaggyTrousers]

Leinster.....

wicked

lol, took me a while to pick up on that. Very good.

Don't worry it's because you are an idiot. Nobody expects you to be sharp.

[rocky]

I didn't understand it either!

[againstthehead]

Leinster.....

wicked

lol, took me a while to pick up on that. Very good.

Don't worry it's because you are an idiot. Nobody expects you to be sharp.

does this mean our truce is over? ah, back to the good old days

[rumncoke]

I would go with Touhy in the second row

He has more experience and Henderson gives better options off the bench

Then Diack Wilson and Henry for back row with Ferris and FNW on the bench thus a 6-2 bench in the belief that the game will be won or lost by forward control of possession thus a fresh back row could be the deciding factor


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[againstthehead]

I would go with Touhy in the second row

He has more experience and Henderson gives better options off the bench

Then Diack Wilson and Henry for back row with Ferris and FNW on the bench thus a 6-2 bench in the belief that the game will be won or lost by forward control of possession thus a fresh back row could be the deciding factor


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

6/2 bench? With ruan maybe carrying a knock? Luke has had his issues and jared always looks ready to fall over.... I can see your thinking and the cowboy might go for it but I think it's high-risk. Wilson, muller and henry can play the 80. Only the other 2, whoever they are will need to come off.

[Snipe Watson]

I don't think Muller is an 80 minute player any more.

[interlooter]

good call on the team against, but I think rum is right and dan will get the nod in second row.
-no doubt on the front row, and only black could force his way onto the bench, but cannot see him being ready, although stranger things have happened
-Wilson will start after the rest, but at 6 or 8? I think he'll start at 6 with nick at 8 and chad immovable at 7
ruan at 9 please and thank you
rest of backline as Cardiff

subs get interesting as beagle seems guaranteed on the bench and probably deserves his spot least
herring had his worst game this season certainly against Cardiff, but is well in credit
warwick (lucky too) for loose unless the medics have come up trumps again and voodooed blackie's ankle
lutton tight for a v. short cameo
hendo cert for squad and might get in ahead of dan - Iain is still learning the ropes at second row and is putting in an unbelievable amount of work around the pitch, but his carrying is not as devastating and where he took out 5 men last season, he is only taking 2 or 3 this year.
the big question is Robbie d or fez or both?
mr. Robbie dependable is the man in possession and it would be awful for him to miss out, but....
and what a massive but it is!
the Fez may have more emotional impact than physical and this is the trickiest selection problem IMO.
to have him come on and smash a few sarry asses would have a seismic effect on the game.
for him to come on, give it 100 % and break down would have the vast majority of us in tears and would rip the heart out of the effort.
Has he done enough in the last few games to get a bench spot or even start?
it is debatable and only really he knows how his body is feeling and if he is capable of giving his very best.
if he can answer that question in the positive, then yes, in would have him on the bench (with beagle and Gilroy)
if not, I would go a 5-3 split and have beagle, Gilroy and mccloskey.
going to be a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng week